2 FEMALE MARINES FAIL OFFICER COMBAT TEST

Corps’ studying women in infantry

QUANTICO, Va. 
Two women were among 18 Marines who failed Tuesday to pass the combat endurance test on opening day of the service’s Infantry Officer Course.

Six female Marines in basic officer training at Quantico originally volunteered for this round of the 13-week infantry program, which runs four times a year at the Marine base. The group of women was whittled to two because of injuries during the run-up to the course.

The Corps has asked more than 180 female Marines to train as infantry officers, to help the service research the feasibility of opening the ground combat field to women. Six women have taken the challenge.

So far, one has made it past the first day, when an average of 10 percent to 15 percent of men also fail the test of physical, mental and moral acuity under pressure. That woman was forced last fall to discontinue the course after a little more than a week because of stress fractures.

The armed forces have been directed to jettison gender-based job restrictions and open jobs that have been closed to women under the 1994 ground combat exclusion policy. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta rescinded the policy in January, and set a 2016 deadline for implementing the changes or requesting an exception keeping women out of a combat job.

In the interim, the Corps is gathering data on physical requirements for jobs closed to women such as the infantry, artillery and reconnaissance. It’s developing a physical screening test that recruiters could use before assigning provisional job specialties. And it’s trying to get at least 92 women to complete its infantry officers course, or at least make it past the first day.

Among the 79 men and women who attempted the test Tuesday, six were pulled out by instructors because they fell too far behind to finish in the allotted time. Five men asked to drop out. An additional seven made it through the course but failed to score high enough to pass — including one of the two women.

The combat endurance test includes long marches, an obstacle course and academic quizzes based on the previous six-month basic officer course.

Men who pass the 13-week regimen become platoon commanders and can be sent directly to combat. Women officers attempting the course during the research phase cannot be assigned to the infantry if they pass.